Winter tyres and snow chains in Spain with a rental car (2026-27)
According to Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), checked on 30 October 2026, the DGT page we read sets no fixed national period: when snow affects the roads, the DGT can restrict traffic for vehicles that do not have winter tyres or snow chains, and it asks drivers to carry chains in case they are needed or to have winter tyres fitted.
The DGT press release we quote is dated 16 January 2023 and was written for the snowfall forecast that week, not for the 2026-27 winter. It is in Spanish: our English translation is under each quote. We did not find on the DGT website a page that sets a national period for winter tyres.
Local orders and road signs come first. We quote governments, police forces and road safety agencies word for word, with the date we checked them; this is information, not legal advice. Before you drive, check the signs on your route and ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
At a glance
| Obligation | Only in winter conditions – when the DGT restricts traffic on snowy roads |
|---|---|
| Period | No fixed period on the page we read |
| Snow chains | Chains or winter tyres when the DGT restricts traffic |
| Rental cars | Not covered by the official pages: ask the rental company |
| Checked | 30 October 2026 |
What the official sources say
When the rule applies
En los casos de que la nieve afecte a la circulación de las carreteras, la Dirección General de Tráfico, para garantizar la fluidez y la seguridad vial, podrá establecer una serie de medias, como las que a continuación se enumeran: Restricciones a la circulación de vehículos pesados. Restricciones a la circulación a otros vehículos que no cuenten con neumáticos de invierno o cadenas.
Our translation: When snow affects traffic on the roads, the Directorate-General for Traffic, to keep traffic flowing safely, may set a number of measures, such as the following: restrictions on heavy vehicles; restrictions on other vehicles that do not have winter tyres or chains.
Source: DGT: Nevadas: imprescindible consultar el estado de las carreteras y llevar cadenas o neumáticos de invierno (Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT)), checked on 30 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Snow chains
Con motivo de las afecciones a la circulación que se pueden producir en carretera debido a las precipitaciones en forma de nieve previstas durante esta tarde y días posteriores en numerosos puntos de la península, la Dirección General de Tráfico solicita a los ciudadanos que tengan que desplazarse por carretera consultar el pronóstico meteorológico y el estado de vialidad en el que se encuentran las vías por la que a circular, así como disponer de cadenas por si su utilización fuera necesaria para circular o llevar instalados neumáticos de invierno.
Our translation: Because of the disruption that the forecast snowfall in many parts of the peninsula may cause on the roads this afternoon and in the following days, the Directorate-General for Traffic asks people who need to travel by road to check the weather forecast and the state of the roads they will use, and to carry chains in case they are needed to drive, or to have winter tyres fitted.
Source: DGT: Nevadas: imprescindible consultar el estado de las carreteras y llevar cadenas o neumáticos de invierno (Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT)), checked on 30 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
With a rental car
The official pages we read do not say whether rental cars come with winter tyres or chains. Ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
Hire a car in Spain
Hiring a car in Spain this winter? Compare rental companies and prices on DiscoverCars. Before you book, ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
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Questions
Are winter tyres mandatory in Spain?
The DGT page we read sets no fixed period. The DGT says (our translation from Spanish): “When snow affects traffic on the roads, the Directorate-General for Traffic, to keep traffic flowing safely, may set a number of measures, such as the following: restrictions on heavy vehicles; restrictions on other vehicles that do not have winter tyres or chains.”
Do you need snow chains in Spain?
On snowy roads, chains or winter tyres. The DGT says (our translation from Spanish): “Because of the disruption that the forecast snowfall in many parts of the peninsula may cause on the roads this afternoon and in the following days, the Directorate-General for Traffic asks people who need to travel by road to check the weather forecast and the state of the roads they will use, and to carry chains in case they are needed to drive, or to have winter tyres fitted.”
Does a rental car in Spain come with winter tyres or snow chains?
The official pages we read do not say whether rental cars come with winter tyres or chains. Ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
Where does this answer come from?
From the official pages of Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), read on 30 October 2026 and quoted word for word on this page (with our translation when the page is not in English). It is information, not legal advice.
Spotted a change? Tell us. Winter tyres with a rental car: all countries.